Basket ball game



June 4, 1963 A. WAGNER BASKET BALL GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 20, 1962 INVENTOR.

ADELBERT WAG NER y B K W ATTORNEY.

June 4, 1963 A. WAGN.ER 3,092,387

BASKET BALL GAME Filed April 20, 1962 F I G 2 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llw INVENTOR.

ADELBEFIT WAGNER ATTORNEY.

United States Patent York Filed Apr. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 189,058 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-95) This invention relates to simulated games and relates more particularly to a novel game played with a ball which the player, using appropriate skill, may eventually lodge in an elevated goal or basket, the game having some reference to the game of basket ball.

Most simulated basket ball games provide a structure requiring a considerable amount of space, making it difficult to store in the home when not in use. A housing with transparent or with mesh side walls is provided for confining the ball and it has always been considered necessary to provide a considerable distance from the place where the ball is initially propelled, usually by some percussion means, to the basket where it is eventually received.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel game apparatus where the player manually rolls a ball over an inclined platen, a portion of which is curved upwardly with a reversely curved end section which directs the ball back towards the player. Leaving the reversely curved platen the ball flies through the air in the direction of the basket which it enters if the shot is skillfully initiated. Of importance is the fact that the ball can seldom travel a Wild circuitous flight and in evitably returns to the player whether a basket is scored or not.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus which eliminates the need for a closed housing to confine the ball during its sometimes erratic movement since in the instant apparatus the ball always returns to the same limited area from which the ball was originally set in motion by the player.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a simulated basket ball game wherein the player actually handles the ball and which requires a greater measure of skill to score a goal than is required with the games employing spring urged plungers or ball striking levers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game of the character described wherein the goal can be easily adjusted as to position to increase or decrease the difficulty in scoring a goal.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a game apparatus embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section taken through the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation with the basket structure omitted.

FIG. 4 is a broken section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a broken section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

The game apparatus includes a pair of opposed side walls and 11 and a curved platen 12 forming the playing area which is supported by the side walls. This platen may be made from wood or sheet metal or other sheet material and has a generally flat section 14- extending from the front of the apparatus and rearwardly over about one-half its length and which may be inclined upwardly a slight angle from the horizontal. From the end of this flat, upwardly inclined section the platen is curved with a gradually increasing curvature, as shown at 16 and its upper end terminates in a section 18 which is curved in the direction of the front of the platen. The upper edge 19 and the section lying immediately below said upper 3,092,387 Patented June 4, 1963 edge is somewhat rearwardly curved, as shown in FIG. 1, so as to generally center the ball as it is rolled up the inclined surface. p p

The side walls have a lower edge 20, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined upper edge 21 and a rear, generally vertical edge 22. These side walls further have recesses 24 receiving the opposed straight and curved edges of the platen wherein they are suitably secured.

A basket structure is supported by an inverted U-shaped wire frame 28 having forwardly extending diverging sections 29 terminating in horizontal sections 30 received in slots 31 in the side walls. These terminal sections can be moved forwardly and rearwardly in the slots to an adjusted, fixed position for a purpose to be described and to facilitate moving it outwardly there is a slot 33 to receive a screw driver or other tool.

The basket 32 is shown as being of skeletal construction and may be formed from molded plastic and has a conical shape with a lower opening 34 for the ball to pass through. Alternatively it may be a simple metal ring with netting extending downwardly therefrom. The basket is supported by a backboard 36 provided with rearwardly extending brackets 38 which receive the horizontal section of U-shaped frame 28. This section has an upwardly extending, central inverted U-shaped portion 39 which retains the basket in an upright position. A goal indicating mechanism may include a shaft 41 having an angular finger 42 underlying the basket causing the shaft to turn when a ball passes through the basket. The shaft is journalled in a bracket 44. The counter mechanism 45 is conventional and has a re-set shaft 47.

The platen has imprinted thereon the usual area markings below the basket including a circle 50 and parallel lines 51. It will be noted that the front edge 52 is on the same plane as the table or other supporting surface on which the game is mounted. Thus the ball 53 may be rolled from the forward section 14 of the platen or it may be started from a position forwardly ofthis front edge which requires more skill to score a goal. In this connection it will be noted that this edge 52 projects forwardly of the side walls 10-11. By moving the basket supporting frame further forwardly in its supporting sockets 31 the difficulty of lodging the ball in the basket is increased which adds to the interest in the game.

While there have been described herein what are at present considered preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that the exemplary embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claim, and that all modifications that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are intended to be included therein.

I claim:

A simulated basket ball game comprising, in combination:

(a) a platen having a smooth, unbroken surface over which a ball may be manually rolled rearwardly from a forward players position,

(b) a pair of opposed side walls supporting the platen and extending above the surface thereof over a major portion of its length, to initially confine the ball within the platen area during its rearward travel,

(0) said platen having a generally flat forward area which is slightly upwardly inclined and a rear section curving upwardly with an increasing degree of curvature and terminating at its upper end in a section which is curved forwardly to direct the ball in said direction,

(d) said upper end section being rearwardly curved in 3 transverse section so as to cause the rolling ball to remain generally in the central portion of the upper end section, (2) a raised basket element above the forward end of the platen,

(f) a backboard on which the basket element is supported,

(g) an inverted U-shaped wire frame supporting the backboard,

(h) said side walls having openings receiving and supporting the lower ends of said frame and permitting forward and rearward movement thereof to an adjusted, fixed position,

(i) goal indicating means below the basket and inclucb 4 0 ing a lever engaged by the ball as it passes through the basket, 7 (j) and a counter aetuated by said lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 836,561 Bush Nov. 20, 1906 1,658,097 Pierce Feb. 7, 1928 1,906,900 Connors May 2, 1933 2,655,377 Holmdahl Oct. 13, 1953 2,704,212 Dunselth Mar. 15, 1955 2,736,557 Androsiglio Feb. 28, 1956 3,035,838 Johnston May 22, 1962 

